Basic Science Research.
Amazing Discoveries.

Cell physiology is the study of how cells work, ranging from fundamental molecular and cellular processes to mechanisms that regulate complex developmental and physiological events. Cell physiology also incorporates studies dealing with systems integration of cells and tissues in physiological and pathophysiological states. The advent of powerful tools of genetic, molecular biology, electrophysiology, and structural analysis now allow many physiologists to analyze problems at a molecular level.

About the committee

The program in cellular and molecular physiology at the University of Chicago is an interdisciplinary program designed to train Ph.Ds who are capable of applying current cellular and molecular methodologies to the investigation of physiological processes and will be able to teach the discipline of physiology to future generations of undergraduate, graduate, and medical students.

Research interests of faculty within the Committee on Cell Physiology are conncentrated in three major areas:

Molecular physiology includes the investigation of the structure, biophysics and function of ion chennels, transporters, pumps, receptors and other membrane components.

Cell biology includes the study of protein trafficking and sorting, the structure and function of cell membranes, contractile and cytoskeletal systems, cellular interactions, epithelial cell biology and polarization, and cell growth regulation.

Signal transduction is the mechanistic analyses of plasma membrane receptors, intracellular messengers, protein kinase cascades, and integration of signaling.